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Utiopian Worlds



Utopian worlds.  Now. For millions of people, the world is completely safe (or at least a safe place).  Sure, there are threats, but only distant threats or possibilities of distant threats. These people need not be rich.  Many are poor.  Most have a modest income, with housing, with security, few with challenges either to survive, to succeed, other than to enjoy daily safe living.  The recourse to safety and security is significant.  It is foundational as many have noted.  With it, they may operate with impunity, and without it there come suspicion. 

It may be callous to mention that this is precisely the hope promised by most retirement communities.  For the retired, this is a well-deserved world paid for with a lifetime of experience, toil, and savings. It is the dream come true – pardon the age.  It is as near as some get to utopia.  Gone are those cares of their past, of jobs, of homes, including that of survival. Community builders advertise exactly this world, even with the possibilities of new friends and activities built in.  This is also the world for millions of impoverished and younger people securely on welfare, but also with no challenges or problems, given the simple acceptance of a materially reduced life.  

Thus we see utopian worlds of many types, from rich to poor, for any type of religion for most types of politics.  Mostly, the days are routine, unchanging, and unchallenged.  There are few hopes or expectations.  Ambition has atrophied.  Acceptance of the security is sufficient. 

One could view this as an ideal after millennia of painful evolution, the carefree life. 
Such worlds must be inherently unstable, as these people become defenseless, witless,low both in expect and abilities.  Their goods are ripe for seizure. Often the goods are material.  Often there is no resistance.  No one fights a war for more leisure, or more education, or more of anything that requires greater personal efforts upon receipt.  These are modern day utopians. 

The real world exists in a mixed chaos of the utopians and those without.  Any class deemed to have it too good, becomes a target, an easy target.  Whether through ballots or bullets, outsiders want to take the utopia away, and award it to themselves.  This creates a flux that cycles over centuries.
Modern instrumentation, particularly assisted with computers, has accelerated this process.  Only 75 years ago, new devises were sold advertising convenience and time savings.  Utopia is just a few gadgets away became the implication.  Except for the occasional Luddite, the world embraced the “convenient” life affording more time, but to do what?  Not to study and learn, not to build, but more toward the various forms of leisure, from first class travel to endless hours before the television. Rich man, poor man alike.

Now we have computer systems that sell us protection from other computer systems.  We have data systems that release personal information to the world.  We live in an open world where there can be few records beyond discovery.  Our world is less safe on this account[1]. But, we are better assured of flight reservations and departure times[2].  We could argue that because of computers certain facets of our security is declining.  This develops something of a paradox of modern living. 

[1]Safety comes in several forms.  Safe from interlopers but not safe from data miners.
[2] As he sits at Macarren Airport in Las Vegas
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